CHARLOTTE BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY

I promise you, it’s not about just the crotch shot! And actually, I don't get that shot if you don't want me to. As a birth photographer it’s my job to capture your entire birth story, the whole thing! Not just THE very moment of birth. My approach to birth photography is very photojournalistic. There are ways for me to capture the beauty that is your baby’s birth while keeping things PG if that’s what you are worried about. You aren’t just receiving “crotch shots”, you receive the raw emotion of the day, the little details you’re not noticing while in the throes of labor, and your expressions as you and your partner meet the little one you’ve been waiting nine long months for for the very first time. Don’t let the fear of the “crotch shot” scare you away from capturing such an amazing moment in your life!

On call time starts at 38 weeks and goes until baby comes! However I do understand that sometimes babies come sooner (my firstborn surprised me and came at 37+3), so let me know ASAP when you go into labor and I’ll do my best to be there or have a backup head your way! If you have a history of going into labor early, we can also change the on call window to be 36-40 or 37-41 weeks, too. Just let me know!

Ideally, I arrive sometime during your active labor. The most perfect timing is a few hours before your baby is born, however birth is FAR from ideal most of the time, so I try to go by either the 4-1-1 rule or when you’re 5-7 cm if you’re getting cervical checks. Usually it's best to go by how close together your contractions are, and how difficult they are for you to manage. Other factors that will weight in the decision are dilation, effacement, and station (if known), and if your membranes are ruptured or intact. After baby makes their grand appearance, I’ll stay until about 2 hours postpartum!

For birth, as early as possible! In order to give each of my clients the attention they deserve, I can only accept a limited number of births per year. I generally work with only two to three families per month, so I encourage you to contact me as soon as you know you're expecting.

For maternity and newborn, I still recommend booking as soon as you can, but since there’s less of a time sensitivity to it, I have some more flexibility with scheduling.

Everything that you see on my site and social media, I've been given explicit permission by the family to share. I love birth stories, I never get tired of reading them or seeing them unfold. I think that something has been lost among women in modern culture, we don't talk about birth among our families and friends the way we once did. I love to show the beauty and power of my clients birth stories in hope that it will empower other women. Society has made birth seem scary, and I want women to feel strong, confident, and capable when they're about to meet their babies, and this helps to encourage that mentality. That said though, it’s entirely up to you what is shared! The photos I take are for YOU and your family… not for the Internet (although I’d really hope that you’d allow me to share a few so that other women can benefit from seeing your story). No photos would be made public without your permission.

One last thing, consent is an ongoing thing, my friend. You can sign the model release being cool with me sharing any and everything and decide after your birth that you'd rather keep everything to yourself. Likewise, you could decide after saying that you don't want to share anything, that you want the world to see how freaking cool birth is. Either way, it's okay! I'll never share anything that you aren't comfortable with me sharing.

Surgical births make beautiful birth stories, too! Ideally, my goal is to be in the OR with you! You should discuss my presence in the operating room with your care provider during your pregnancy so that you know what to expect. I am a Novant verified doula, so if you are giving birth at any Novant facility, I have OR clearances which would allow me in the OR.

If your at a non-Novant facility and your doctor has a policy against allowing photographers into the OR, I can come to the hospital with you at check-in, document you pre-op, give my camera to your support person or a nurse (if willing) to use during the birth, and then I’ll photograph post-delivery moments as usual. The documentation of your story is just as, if not more, important as any mama delivering vaginally! If for some reason I don’t feel like I have enough photos to tell the story, I’ll come back for a fresh 48 as well.

I totally get it, birth photography can feel like a massive investment. I try to price fairly as I’ve been there myself. In an effort to make birth photography as accessible as possible, I do offer extended payment arrangements. The standard payment plan requires a 50% non-refundable deposit at booking, but we can make it work for you by allowing a $500 non-refundable deposit instead, with the remaining balance split into monthly payments up to 38 weeks gestation. The amount of your monthly payment will depend on the products + services chosen and how early you book them. If you really can’t swing it, reach out and let’s chat!

Babies are unpredictable! Missed births happen, but they truly are rare. In the event of illness or emergency, I have a couple of backup photographers that I could send in my place. If I miss the birth because your labor was super fast, I still come to your place of birth to document as much of your story as I can. If I feel like I don’t have enough images to tell the whole story, I am happy to offer a fresh 48 or lifestyle family session for a day soon after baby arrives!

Immediately after your birth (or any other session for that matter), I will deliver a handful of high resolution hand edited images for you to have and share right away, generally within 24-48 hours of the birth (or maternity/newborn session). The full gallery takes a bit of time, especially with little children at home, but I try my best to deliver within 4 weeks! Newborn and maternity clients will have the full sessions available to them within 2-4 weeks (typically 2)!

I primarily service the Charlotte area and surrounding towns within an hour’s drive (think Monroe, Mooresville, Salisbury, even Fort Mill and Winston Salem), but if you live a little farther, let’s chat! I’m willing to travel up to 2 hours for a small travel fee. It’d be open to traveling farther, but unfortunately with birth, sometimes babies just come too quickly for that!

Are you late to the party and due any day now? Not a problem! If you’re past 37 weeks already and can’t swing paying for your package in full, ask about an extended payment plan. Please note that, for extended payment plans, the retainer is $500 and is deducted from your package price. There’s no need for you to miss documenting this once-in-a-lifetime moment due to finances!